ST. LOUIS – NEW ORLEANS (10-3) at ST. LOUIS (5-8)
Sunday, 4:25 p.m. ET, Fox
OPENING LINE — Saints by 4½
RECORD VS. SPREAD — New Orleans 7-5-1, St. Louis 5-8
SERIES RECORD — Saints lead 39-32
LAST MEETING — Rams beat Saints 31-21, Oct. 31, 2011
LAST WEEK — Saints beat Panthers 31-13; Rams lost 30-10 to Cardinals
AP PRO32 RANKING — Saints No. 3, Rams No. 21
SAINTS OFFENSE — OVERALL (6), RUSH (25), PASS (2)
SAINTS DEFENSE — OVERALL (6), RUSH (17), PASS (3)
RAMS OFFENSE — OVERALL (27), RUSH (18), PASS (26)
RAMS DEFENSE — OVERALL (19), RUSH (13), PASS (22)
STREAKS, STATS AND NOTES — Saints have one-game lead in NFC South and clinch playoff berth with win. ... Saints defensive coordinator Rob Ryan had extended interview with Rams in late January before opting for New Orleans. ... QB Drew Brees became fastest to 50,000 yards passing last week, doing it in 183rd game, bettering Peyton Manning's 191. Brees has passed for 4,000 yards eight straight seasons and at least 33 TDs six straight seasons. ... TE Jimmy Graham leads NFL with 14 TDs. ... LB Junior Galette had career-best three sacks last week. ... DE Cameron Jordan is second in NFC with 11½ sacks, including two last week. ... Rams eliminated from playoff contention and assured of 10th consecutive season without winning record. ... Rams coach Jeff Fisher is 4-0 vs. Saints. ... In last meeting, Rams were 0-6 and two-TD underdogs before upsetting Saints at home and holding Brees to one TD pass. ... DE Robert Quinn leads NFC with 13 sacks. ... Rookie RB Zac Stacy has 721 yards rushing, but held to 25 yards on 14 carries last week at Arizona. ... Rookie OLB Alec Ogletree had first career sack last week and has 95 tackles, tied for team lead with MLB James Laurinaitis.
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Online: http://pro32.ap.org